The Easter Bunny custom dates back to prehistoric times and is tied to the Vernal Equinox. The Germanic Osterhase may predate any other custom associated with Easter, religious or secular. The rabbit was chosen for this archetypal spring symbol because it is a prolific breeder. “There are good grounds for believing that the sacredness of this animal reaches back into an age still more remote, where it is probably a very important part of the great Spring Festival,” according to translator and folklorist, Charles J. Billson, as reported in Wikipedia. According to Wikipedia, the association of the Easter Bunny and eggs originated in the Alsace and Upper Rhineland. Much later, German immigrants would introduce the Osterhare, Easter hare, to the world and it would become the Easter Bunny. To this day, Germans create the most beautiful Easter decorations, understated and made of natural materials, so let’s take a look at some of them, along with Easter eggs from the Balkans. One thing is certain: the Easter Bunny arrives tomorrow…. Frohe Ostern! (Photo source: Wikimedia Commons)